FX AM Armour need help

[Hawkeye[501st]]

I'm curious as to why it was recommended that you make the angled cut. Can you find out?

 

You don't necessarily have to replace the ab piece. Like Terry said, it is fixable, especially if you still have the pieces you cut off. But if you choose not to, it looks like you may be able to cover it up with the chest piece in place.

 

Put the cut piece back in place and use patch it from behind with a strip of plastic - you can cut a strip from one of the four ABS strips that came with the kit. Once it dries, fill the front seam with ABS dust/shavings, and dribble some Plastic Weld on the seam. The Plastic Weld will melt the ABS shavings into the seam. Afterward, maybe some light sanding and polish.

 

The side rivets are not required for EIB, they're more of a nice-to-have.

 

Thanks for the tip. I think when we fit without the belt, it was thought to be restrictive for the bells.

I still have the pieces. I will build the entire armour and then see if i need to do something with the abs. At the mo, the back armour wraps around fine and closes it. So i might not have seems on the side. (Do you think its wise not to have any seems) i might cut off the top of snaps and paste it there and make it look like its snapped but actually its just stick on.

What do you think? Works?

 

How would the inner part hold, Velco!

Share your thoughts mate,

[Hawkeye[501st]]

Hi Guys.

me again! sorry to bother you with so many question. i am about to glue the shins!

I do not have clams deep enough but i have earth megnats that are silver and round!

 

How did you guys put glue the shims? Did you add ABS glue to each Butt of the shin, or did you just glue half of the strip on one side,then do the other?

 

Thanks

[tkrestonva[TK]]

You could go either way - I used both methods. For my inner joining strip (which is not required but adds strength to the joint) I glued half the strip on one side of the shin armor, let it dry, then glued the other half. For the external joining strip, I did it all at once.

 

Personally I'd go with E6000 for any external parts, but especially the shins. Reason being is that it dries clear, the bond is more flexible than ABS cement, and if you make a mistake and/or get overspill (which you can avoid by taping off the areas that are not to be glued) it's much easier to pull it apart, remove the residue, clean up the part, and start over. You actually want a flexible bond on the front of the shims, since unless you have tiny legs and even smaller feet, you'll have to open the shins up like a clamshell - the "hinge" being the front - to get them on and off.

 

ABS cement works by literally melting together the two pieces of plastic that will be joined. The resulting bond is stronger and dries a lot faster, but if you get any on your armor where you didn't intend to, it will damage the finish. Once it's dry, pulling it apart without damage is near-impossible. As a result, it's a lot less forgiving than E6000.

[Hawkeye[501st]]

You could go either way - I used both methods. For my inner joining strip (which is not required but adds strength to the joint) I glued half the strip on one side of the shin armor, let it dry, then glued the other half. For the external joining strip, I did it all at once.

 

Personally I'd go with E6000 for any external parts, but especially the shins. Reason being is that it dries clear, the bond is more flexible than ABS cement, and if you make a mistake and/or get overspill (which you can avoid by taping off the areas that are not to be glued) it's much easier to pull it apart, remove the residue, clean up the part, and start over. You actually want a flexible bond on the front of the shims, since unless you have tiny legs and even smaller feet, you'll have to open the shins up like a clamshell - the "hinge" being the front - to get them on and off.

 

ABS cement works by literally melting together the two pieces of plastic that will be joined. The resulting bond is stronger and dries a lot faster, but if you get any on your armor where you didn't intend to, it will damage the finish. Once it's dry, pulling it apart without damage is near-impossible. As a result, it's a lot less forgiving than E6000.

 

Thank you, i have been building everything with E6000, so will go that way,and do half and then half.

nice tip on the tape off thoose area that dont need glue!

 

Thanks again

[Hawkeye[501st]]

Hi TKrestonava/Terry

 

I am now working to color the ab buttons using the humbrol paints.

Which scheme should i use for EIB? the French Blue 14 or Midnight Blue 15?

 

Also, how did you attach your plate which has 4 button? Separate ABS Plastic or did you drill into the ab?

 

Thanks

 

PS: Shins are done, and i have painted my Thermal Detanator and looks awesome!!.

[pandatrooper[TK]]

I used midnight blue for the buttons, check this thread here for more info

 

-----

 

Either color is fine for EIB

 

The AM ab button plates are attached with the metal buttons included in the kit, they are threaded and bolt / nut inside. There are instructions included with the kit on how to install the plate.

 

Some advice going forward: most of your questions are addressed in various build threads on the forum and in the instructions that come with the AM kit. There’s several AM specific build threads that have yielded great results, make sure to review them for reference during your build.

 

My AM build thread is here and has many photos.

 

-----

[Hawkeye[501st]]

On 7/15/2010 at 1:57 AM, pandatrooper said:

I used midnight blue for the buttons, check this thread here for more info

 

-----

 

Either color is fine for EIB

 

The AM ab button plates are attached with the metal buttons included in the kit, they are threaded and bolt / nut inside. There are instructions included with the kit on how to install the plate.

 

Some advice going forward: most of your questions are addressed in various build threads on the forum and in the instructions that come with the AM kit. There’s several AM specific build threads that have yielded great results, make sure to review them for reference during your build.

 

My AM build thread is here and has many photos.

 

-----

 

Thanks Terry, i will check. I will follow the method you used. with extra abs for the 4 buttons

Edited December 5, 2020 by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2020

[tkrestonva[TK]]

I used French blue, but like Terry said either is acceptable.

 

As far as the 4-button plate goes, the standard FX/AM method is to attach them directly to the ab piece by drilling holes and securing them via the nuts that come with the buttons. Not as accurate, but perfectly acceptable.

 

If you want to go the extra mile as both Terry and I did, cut out a piece of ABS from the extra strips that came with the kit - let's call it a "spacer plate" - just slightly larger than the raised area where you would install the buttons directly if you were using the standard assembly method. Drill four evenly spaced holes in the spacer plate, then glue it on top of the raised area on the ab plate. Once the glue dries, drill holes in the ab plate using the holes you drilled in the spacer plate as a guide, then install your painted ab buttons.

 

Like Terry said, definitely reference the build threads as you go, and not just the AM build threads. As I'm building my kit I find myself referencing the TM build threads more than anything else. Different kit, but always turns out superb, and many of the techniques can be applied to AM. Chances are they will be able to answer many of the questions you haven't even thought of yet.

 

I've also compiled a comprehensive photo library illustrating the best practices from the many builds, along with just about every available high-res image of stormtroopers from ANH and ESB. It took time, but the source material is available for free right here at the FISD. I actually add new photos to it on a weekly basis as I find them here at the FISD. Troopers Helping Troopers.

[Hawkeye[501st]]

I used French blue, but like Terry said either is acceptable.

 

As far as the 4-button plate goes, the standard FX/AM method is to attach them directly to the ab piece by drilling holes and securing them via the nuts that come with the buttons. Not as accurate, but perfectly acceptable.

 

If you want to go the extra mile as both Terry and I did, cut out a piece of ABS from the extra strips that came with the kit - let's call it a "spacer plate" - just slightly larger than the raised area where you would install the buttons directly if you were using the standard assembly method. Drill four evenly spaced holes in the spacer plate, then glue it on top of the raised area on the ab plate. Once the glue dries, drill holes in the ab plate using the holes you drilled in the spacer plate as a guide, then install your painted ab buttons.

 

Like Terry said, definitely reference the build threads as you go, and not just the AM build threads. As I'm building my kit I find myself referencing the TM build threads more than anything else. Different kit, but always turns out superb, and many of the techniques can be applied to AM. Chances are they will be able to answer many of the questions you haven't even thought of yet.

 

I've also compiled a comprehensive photo library illustrating the best practices from the many builds, along with just about every available high-res image of stormtroopers from ANH and ESB. It took time, but the source material is available for free right here at the FISD. I actually add new photos to it on a weekly basis as I find them here at the FISD. Troopers Helping Troopers.

 

Thank you guys! we all appreciate you both!

I am gonna read up,and go the extra mile and do what is required for the ab button

 

All is going well, hope i can make it into EIB, need to find a better blaster

[Hawkeye[501st]]

Hi All

I want to offer my thanks and i am very greatful to all who have provided me with advice.

My Armour is almost done, and hopefully i can get the straps working.

I would also like to single out Terry and Brian!!! you have been really great! and you tips are excellent.

Lots of troopers will benefit from what you both have done!!!

I have pics of my build, which i will edit and post once i am done with the first trooping this weekend!